Grand Canyon Limited Preparations

With less than three weeks until the encore performance of the "Grand Canyon Limited", the crew is busy with preparations. With the engine already in good working order and any "bugs" having been worked out on the roundtrip to San Bernardino last weekend, the crew is focused on getting our loaned tool/crew/merchandise car, the Gordon Zimmerman (Gordo for short), ready for the trip.

Yesterday, the crew focused on two tasks. One was organizing the merchandise after the San Bernardino trip and getting it sorted in the Gordo. A nice feature about the Gordo is it has a built in merchandise sales area, constructed by the "Friends of the 4449", that our Sales Manager is excited and anxious to use. The second task was moving the boxes and bins into the car that will be necessary to store the various tools and equipment for the week we are on the road. The steel work bench will be moved in next week.

For safety reasons, a barrier is being fabricated to separate off the "crew/tool" area of the car from the general paying passengers. However all four doors (yes ALL four) of the Gordo will be available for all passengers to use.

We are also excited about all the new merchandise that will be available on this trip for the first time, including limited edition Grand Canyon Limited (GCL) apparell. Once we run out...that is it, so it will be first come first serve regarding the special "GCL" shirts and hats. Of course there will be much, much more to buy as well, so anyone traveling on the train (or stopping by in Barstow or Parker) be sure to stop by the concessions booth or the Gordo to see all we have. Also check out the website www.sbrhs.org for more information on souveniers.

Crew Shelter & Work Area

It has only taken a little over 10 years, but as of last November the 3751 crew has a concrete pad and shelter to work out of. While still needing some work, this area will have a welding table and vise and be where "junior", the electric cart, will be stored. It has overhead lighting for work that needs to be performed overnight as well as air connections for air tools. Electical outlets will eventually be installed as well.

We are all VERY excited about this new area of the compound. This project was seen as a "trial" run to the construction of a cover for the locomotive, for which many of the posts have already been obtained...so stay tuned over the next year or two to hopefully read about that project.